Ready for May Flowers

Legislature

Transportation Funding Proposals Abound

One of the big issues for the legislature to address during this budget season is transportation – whether roads and bridges or mass transit, the need continues to grow to address funding.

House Transportation Committee Chair Ed Neilson is introducing legislation to address funding for mass transit agencies by injecting an estimated $292.5 million into services across the state. This includes medical transportation, paratransit, and the Shared Ride program which seniors and people with disabilities across the state rely on.

House Republican Leader Jesse Topper has introduced legislation to require SEPTA to enter into a public-private partnership to, at minimum, operate the authority’s buses. The partnerships would be reviewed and subject to the approval of the Public-Private Partnership Board and legislative oversight.

Rep. Topper noted in his co-sponsorship memo that the privatization of busing services has been successfully implemented for commuter bus services in Maryland and busing operations in major U.S. cities like Denver. 

Leader Topper Media Availability

House Republican Leader Jesse Topper held media availability on Wednesday to address a variety of issues including REAL ID, SEPTA privatization efforts, and the Governor’s mansion arson investigation, and other issues facing the Commonwealth.

In his remarks, he noted that his caucus has asked PennDOT to be more proactive as the deadline for REAL ID nears, including extending hours and being more flexible on days and locations. He stressed that the requirement for REAL ID is a government mandate and that deadlines have continuously changed and that we should accommodate residents.

He and reporters also spoke about the arson investigation related to the Governor’s Mansion. Rep. Topper has requested the report from the investigation so that the legislature is aware of challenges and concerns and can do their part to ensure nothing like this happens again.

Responding to questions about energy challenges in Pennsylvania, Rep. Topper reiterated his stance that Governor Shapiro should remove the state from RGGI as a first step. He also suggested that PA should look at other neighboring states on the regulatory side to be competitive and allow projects to move forward. Pennsylvania, he said, needs power generation and ways to transport that energy.

When asked about the budget, he declined to guess when a budget would be in place. He restated that energy is a priority for Republican legislators. He also noted that they have an ongoing concern about increased spending and its impact on future legislatures, stating that if we are increasing spending, there has to be a way to pay for it. 

Administration

Election Deadlines and Primary Participation

With the municipal primary later this month, there are deadlines coming up for voters:

Last Day to Register to Vote or Update Voter Registration: May 5, 2025

Last Day to Request a Mail-In or Absentee Ballot: May 13, 2025

As Pennsylvania has a closed primary system, the 1.4 million independent and third-party Pennsylvania voters don’t choose the candidates for the general election.

Some good-government advocates want Pennsylvania to open its primary system, arguing that voters who aren’t registered with a major party still pay taxes that fund elections, and the current system effectively disenfranchises them for opting out of partisan politics. 

Lawsuits Against the Federal Government

Governor Josh Shapiro has joined Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and 23 states’ attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its cuts to AmeriCorps. The federal community service program oversees thousands of volunteers deployed across the country. The suit contends that only Congress can dismantle or change the program as it was established by an act of Congress.

Although not an action by the state, the Pennsylvania Head Start Association, and several advocacy groups, are also suing the Trump administration over what they allege is an unlawful attempt to dismantle Head Start. The administration has already cut staff, shuttered half the program’s regional offices and delayed funding, all actions that the suit alleges requires congressional approval.

Pennsylvania Joins Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA)

Pennsylvania officially became the sixth state to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA). The state’s population of over 13 million includes over 150,000 online poker players. The inclusion of Pennsylvania in the system provides a shared liquidity with players from Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and West Virginia. This expansion also provides larger prize pools without requiring an increase in buy-in amounts. 

PUC Invites Public Comment on Data Centers and Energy

Last week, the PA Public Utility Commission (PUC) held a hearing examining the impact of hyperscale data centers and other large-load energy users on Pennsylvania’s electric grid. At the conclusion of the hearing, PUC Chairman Steve DeFrank noted that the PUC is committed to thoughtful, transparent policymaking and so has opened a public comment period through Tuesday, May 27, 2025.



More information on the public comment period, and a 15-day reply comment period can be found on the PUC website. The full release with the invitation for public comment is available here. 

What's Next

The House and Senate will return to session on Monday, May 5.

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